Warning: visa service fraud

[Goo61]

I went to renew my tourist visa with a visaservice last week to Savannakhet, Laos. The trip was horrific from start to finish. We sent this email to the agency, and received a less than respectful response. does anyone have any options on how we can get our money reimbursed to us? Should we go to the police with the license plate number? 

 

Dear Visa Service,

I would like to express my extreme disappointment with your service. I went on the May 20th trip to Savannakhet and the entire journey was a complete disaster not only for me, but for everyone in my group.

 

Firstly, our driver of Van number plate (please see attachment) stopped at every petrol station to drink alcohol (from a pick up truck that would park near us). He was drunk for the entire ride to Laos. Along with the consumption of alcohol, our driver made countless dangerous decisions while driving that nearly caused an accident at least 5 times. He was driving at over 140km/hr and passing infront of large trucks the entire way without using caution. As well, he was completely rude and constantly telling us to be quiet and turn off our phones. Furthermore, as per the trip itinerary, dinner on the way back was meant to be included as part of the trip. This was not provided, Therefore all passengers were forced to go for 10 hours without any food or drink, or to buy expensive service station food.

 

Additionally, our driver did not properly check to make sure we had all received exit stamps when leaving Thailand and I was left in limbo between Laos and Thailand with no agency representative to help me. In the end, the agency representative who, after 30 minutes, finally came to assist me, dropped me off at the Thai border again (which I had to pay for) and left me there, telling me I needed do everything again to cross the border again and then to pay for a taxi and find my own way to the Thai consulate in Laos. This is an absolute atrocity as I have paid your company 3,500 for assistance and I received none and had to pay additional money out of pocket to arrive at the embassy. 

 

To add to our troubles, a group of 4 of us were left at the consulate without any agency representative after applying for our visas. We had no idea which hotel we were going to. Luckily, one of our group members had been on your trip previously and was able to tell us which hotel we were staying at. However, because our driver had left the consulate without us, we had to pay out of pocket again for a taxi to get to the hotel.

 

Finally, after picking up our visas at the consulate on Day 3, four of us were left at the consulate. My girlfriend had to phone your agency to let them know because none of us had reception in Laos. One hour later, your staff drove back from the border (where he had gone without making sure everyone was with him) to come pick us up. This made it so that we were 5 hours late getting back to Bangkok. We were meant to arrive at 10pm and instead arrived at 3am. We therefore had to incur the cost of another taxi to get home, which is much more expensive than the BTS which would have still been operating if the driver was competent and sober.

 

On the drive back, our driver was stopped 4 times by the police for reckless driving. But only stopped to drink 1 time with the pickup, I believe this is because that driver is referred to as a scout to check for any police road blocks and to inform the drivers behind him.

 

I would like to ask for the full cost of my trip to be reimbursed to me for my troubles. The trip would have been cheaper and easier if I had gone alone as your agency made it extremely challenging, confusing, frightening, and a near death experience due to our incredibly reckless and drunk driver. We would like to settle this issue in a friendly way with you. However, If you are not willing to do this we will be forced to use other options.

We understand that you were most likely unaware of this occurrence and do not support the actions of this driver, and hope that you will kindly settle this issue, find a new driver, and that we can remain on good terms. 

 

I have evidence (videos and photographs and receipts and witnesses) to support my claims.

 

Kind Regards,

Sebastian 

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by CharlieH
names removed as per forum rules.

[monkeycu]

It seems to be an ordinary visa run with the usual maniac behind the wheel

[BestB]

Can i ask one super silly question?

 

Why is it whenever someone has a problem is when they find out Thaivisa and run to make a post asking what to do?

 

You were able to find visa service by yourself, you were able to find out what was needed and available by yourself, but now need help

 

I just find it weird.

 

Now about your complaint. There is nothing you can do and no one will help you.

 

Extra 1000 or so baht you had to pay for here and there is gone and you will not be reimbursed.

 

Why should driver or anyone for that matter check if you received exit stamp? Are you a 2 year old child, unable to open your passport to see? or incapable of figuring out you need to exit the country via immigration to get the stamp?

[madmen]

I have to question your sanity. Why didn't you jump out after first alcohol stop? was it to inconvenient for you, surely your life is worth more?

[Goo61]

Even though they left him at the border and didn’t take me to the hotel or consulate and then left me at the consulate and didn’t provide dinner?

[elviajero]

The only question is why you didn’t, once you knew what was going on, leave the van on route or once you got to Vientiane!

[Goo61]

Just now, madmen said:

I have to question your sanity. Why didn't you jump out after first alcohol stop? was it to inconvenient for you, surely your life is worth more?

And be stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere thailand about to get an overstay on my visa...?

[orchis]

"expensive service station food''; typically inflated complaint.

[DrJack54]

Seb. Move on. You won't get a penny back. Sounds like a horror story. Put it down to experience. Next adventure use Thaivisa for heads up advice. As for this one.... Let it go

[BestB]

4 minutes ago, monkeycu said:

It seems to be an ordinary visa run with the usual maniac behind the wheel

I have done a few runs in he past and drivers always drive fast, otherwise trip takes too long.

 

Drivers are rarely pleasant, as normally have to put up with many idiotic questions.

 

They also drive back to back, so often tired as well.

 

Personally i never had a problem with any driver, and always had a good laugh with them

[Goo61]

Just now, elviajero said:

The only question is why you didn’t, once you knew what was going on, leave the van on route or once you got to Vientiane!

Because I had already paid them 3500 baht and didn’t have much money left to play with after that, had never done this before, and was in a foreign country alone

[Goo61]

Just now, BestB said:

I have done a few runs in he past and drivers always drive fast, otherwise trip takes too long.

 

Drivers are rarely pleasant, as normally have to put up with many idiotic questions.

 

They also drive back to back, so often tired as well.

 

Personally i never had a problem with any driver, and always had a good laugh with them

The other groups were having a great time but our group was stuck with this maniac 

[Goo61]

11 minutes ago, BestB said:

Can i ask one super silly question?

 

Why is it whenever someone has a problem is when they find out Thaivisa and run to make a post asking what to do?

 

You were able to find visa service by yourself, you were able to find out what was needed and available by yourself, but now need help

 

I just find it weird.

 

Now about your complaint. There is nothing you can do and no one will help you.

 

Extra 1000 or so baht you had to pay for here and there is gone and you will not be reimbursed.

 

Why should driver or anyone for that matter check if you received exit stamp? Are you a 2 year old child, unable to open your passport to see? or incapable of figuring out you need to exit the country via immigration to get the stamp?

I was asking for help not for rudeness so thank you for that response. As per the visa stamp issue, they gave me back my passport and rushed me onto a bus saying go go go. Never having done that before I didn’t realise I needed to check even after an immigration office has returned my passport to me and given me the okay to go. As well, I was not the only one on my trip who had experienced this.

Edited May 26, 2019 by Goo61

[madmen]

9 minutes ago, Goo61 said:

And be stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere thailand about to get an overstay on my visa...?

Yes. You admitted you near had 5 ACCIDENTS!!! overstay is 500 baht per day.  You place a cheap price on your own head thats for sure

 

You could have pulled up any number of taxis refuelling at the servos he was drinking at.

Edited May 26, 2019 by madmen

[elviajero]

4 minutes ago, Goo61 said:

Because I had already paid them 3500 baht and didn’t have much money left to play with after that, had never done this before, and was in a foreign country alone

You got to the capital city of Laos. You could have gone anywhere.

 

I only used a van service from Bangkok to Vientiane once, and it was years ago. The driver was sober, but drove like a maniac, so I left the van once I’d got my visa and took the train back.

[BestB]

1 minute ago, Goo61 said:

I was asking for help not for rudeness so shame on you for that response. As per the visa stamp issue, they gave me back my passport and rushed me onto a bus saying go go go. Never having done that before I didn’t realise I needed to check even after an immigration office has returned my passport to me and given me the okay to go. As well, I was not the only one on my trip who had experienced this.

Yes its all their fault, they should be holding your hand and feeding you by hand.

 

It is NOT their or anyone elses responsibility but YOURS to exit country properly and receive an exit stamp.

 

Never having done what? left your mums basement?

 

You keep referring to imaginary someone else, Someone else had this or that , how exactly would you know what someone else had or experienced when you can not even go through immigration without someone holding your hand?

 

You asked for advice and you were told, nothing you can do and nothing anyone will do for you.

 

You do not have much money, yet you went to extend your "tourist" visa, how exactly are you planning to stay in the country when you do not have "much" money?

[Traubert]

Multiple alcohol stops and you never took advantage of any of them?

 

You need to learn how to party, mate.

Edited May 26, 2019 by Traubert

[BestB]

2 minutes ago, madmen said:

Yes. You admitted you near had 5 ACCIDENTS!!! overstay is 500 baht per day.  You place a cheap price on your own head thats for sure

 

You could have pulled up any number of taxis refuelling at the servos he was drinking at.

We do not agree on most things, but on this i totally agree with you and i am also certain driver was not drinking alcohol and it is NOT sold by some mini stalls at any service station. He was most likely drinking red bull or alike to stay awake.

 

Just as "dinner" is not offered by any visa service on the way or back.

 

Free food is ONLY offered on the day you are waiting to get your visa back.

 

On top of that, food at service stations is same price as anywhere else, dirt cheap, 40-60 baht meals

[BritTim]

2 minutes ago, BestB said:

Yes its all their fault, they should be holding your hand and feeding you by hand.

There is an argument for saying that those paying extra money to use a visa service, rather than doing the trip independently, are doing so for the peace of mind of knowing they will be nursed through the process. I must admit, though, that I would never trust a lowly paid, drunk and tired driver to check immigration had processed me correctly.

[happy chappie]

I used savannaket last month for marriage visa (12 months multi entry) drove from udon thani stayed thai side and crossed and dropped all the paperwork in by 11am.stayed in cheap guest house,went out to nice restaurant with cheap food and beer,next day went and picked up my passport in 15 minutes and off back over the boarder.it was an absolute piece of cake and shared fuel with a pal.i probably spent 3,000b and 5,000b for visa.it was all down to the planning and treating it as a trip out of udon rather than a slog.The best bit now is ive got a multi entry 12 month visa for 8,000b.Before this I had retirement and had 800,000b dead money in the bank and had to pay for visa and multi entry too.oh the only set back is I have to go out of the country every 90 days which isn't a problem as I'm an hour from Vientiane and I get loads of duty free and a couple of hours in the casino.in thailand if you want a job doing right,do it yourself.

[XenZen]

33 minutes ago, Goo61 said:

And be stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere thailand about to get an overstay on my visa...?

Listen snowflake, YOUR PARENTS would certainly have told you to get out of a car with a drunk driver going 140 kph.   It's common sense.  Who cares if you pay 500 baht, or 10,000 baht for doing what's smart.   However, you chose wrong.  Your decision was not good, and you need to make better choices.   

 

I'm sure you will get a full refund..... HAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHA.

 

It's even funnier you wrote to them in English, but, again, .... oh, whatever.  

 

I just hope these high-school kids don't cry to Facebook all day when they feel that their privilege isn't taken into consideration.

 

sad post, actually.  

 

if it was my kid, i would yell at him for a very long time.  probably send him back to the basement.  

[Goo61]

27 minutes ago, BestB said:

Yes its all their fault, they should be holding your hand and feeding you by hand.

 

It is NOT their or anyone elses responsibility but YOURS to exit country properly and receive an exit stamp.

 

Never having done what? left your mums basement?

 

You keep referring to imaginary someone else, Someone else had this or that , how exactly would you know what someone else had or experienced when you can not even go through immigration without someone holding your hand?

 

You asked for advice and you were told, nothing you can do and nothing anyone will do for you.

 

You do not have much money, yet you went to extend your "tourist" visa, how exactly are you planning to stay in the country when you do not have "much" money?

Thanks for the help mate, you’re clearly not happy in your life if you feel the need to attack someone like that who’s just asking for a bit of friendly advice. Have a nice night.

[Caldera]

Bizarre report. Either it wasn't nearly as bad as described, or you should have gotten out as soon as you saw the driver guzzling alcohol and having the first near miss.

[BestB]

39 minutes ago, BritTim said:

There is an argument for saying that those paying extra money to use a visa service, rather than doing the trip independently, are doing so for the peace of mind of knowing they will be nursed through the process. I must admit, though, that I would never trust a lowly paid, drunk and tired driver to check immigration had processed me correctly.

You are paying for taxi service not for immigration clearance . Tourist visa full service is 5500 baht not 3500

[Tayaout]

I used this agency twice and it was pretty good. I had 1 issue with them because they left something like 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled time and I was there about 30 minutes early. We were about 5 peoples stuck on 1 of January and did not find any other van service operating that day.

 

This resulted in me and another guy overstaying 1 day. I don't blame them since I shouldn't have waited last visa day but it's pretty annoying to wake up at 3:30am and missing the rendez-vous getting there 30min early. 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Tayaout

[BestB]

18 minutes ago, Goo61 said:

Thanks for the help mate, you’re clearly not happy in your life if you feel the need to attack someone like that who’s just asking for a bit of friendly advice. Have a nice night.

You are right , I am clearly not happy and this is why You chose cheapest service and then complain that it was not good ????

[sanemax]

No "fraud" took place though , they got you there and back , which was the agreement 

[Happy Grumpy]

1 hour ago, Goo61 said:

was in a foreign country alone

 

Did you have 50 baht to call your mommy? 

 

 

 

3,500baht?

 

Can fly and ride to Mukdahan return for that. 

[DrJack54]

19 minutes ago, Goo61 said:

Thanks for the help mate, you’re clearly not happy in your life if you feel the need to attack someone like that who’s just asking for a bit of friendly advice. Have a nice night.

Thaivisa can be harsh. I came to los late in life. Took 3 chicks to pattaya. Got set up for 20k drink bill. At their friends bar. Very ashamed of my stupidity. In hindsight it was more lack of experience. I just accepted it and learnt. So OP forget about this rather small lesson in living in los. I'm typing this from pattaya. I wouldn't wish to list my stuff ups in this town. 

[BuckBee]

I've been on a couple bad ones over the years, it can be that bad it not believable.

Reality is visa services are complete waste of money and you far better off doing your own due diligence and going on your own as in the end you pretty much doing it on your own when use a service and most of them give poor advice & p1ss poor service at best.

You can do a round trip for a tourist visa from bkk to savann for 4.000 baht including all visa fees and decent 1 night hotel/food etc .

Savannakhet is super simple transition if use the even tour bus which arrive hour or 2 before boarder bus and use buses right through to savann bus stop and walk to consulate, no need rush as being early just means you queue for longer .

 

You got to be mad to waste money on any visa service in thailand ... easier and cheaper do it yourself and if make some effort rearch in advance it so so simple as you organised and all docs prepared in advance .

Edited May 26, 2019 by BuckBee